Firefighters help catch man attempting to elude police

A crew of Spokane Valley firefighters stepped a little out of its element when it helped a Spokane Valley police officer make an arrest this week.

A crew from Station 6 was returning to the station after a call when a man with a backpack was seen running out of a motorcycle repair business near Sprague Avenue and Thierman, said assistant fire marshal Bill Clifford.

“He tripped and fell over the retaining wall,” Clifford said. After picking himself up the man was trying to hide in weeds nearby, prompting the firefighters to ask dispatch to call the police. When an officer arrived and approached the man, he began fighting with the officer. That’s when the firefighters stopped watching and started helping.

Both firefighters and the officer got a surprise when the thief’s backpack and pockets were searched after the struggle was over. “He was armed with a knife,” Clifford said. The officer also found what looked like drugs.

Clifford said it’s not every day firefighters get to work with police that closely. “They did a great job,” he said.

The rest of the week from Sept. 16-22 was a lot quieter. There were no major structure fires. One resident called firefighters when they smelled smoke after turning on the furnace for the first time. “It was an overheated motor,” Clifford said. He recommended having furnaces and heating systems serviced before winter begins to cut down on problems that might have residents reaching for their phones to call the fire department.

Firefighters did respond to a motor home fire in the 24400 block of East Joseph on Sept. 19. It was fully involved but the flames did not spread to the home it was parked next to, Clifford said. It was determined that there was a propane leak in the motor home’s stove and something caused it to ignite. The damages are estimated to be $40,000.

There were also some yard debris fires, a couch on the street that was set on fire and a transient campfire next to the river on Sullivan Road.

The 10 car accidents firefighters responded to included one in the 6400 block of south Highway 27 that involved a moose. Two people in the car were taken to the hospital. “The critters are going to be coming down from the hills and crossing the roadways,” Clifford said. “It seems like that’s happening more and more.”

On Sept. 22 at 4:30 p.m. a child riding a bike was hit by a car near Otis Orchards Elementary. The 7-year-old boy was apparently crossing the street, Clifford said. The boy said he was not injured but he was taken to the hospital as a precaution. “The bike was found underneath the vehicle,” he said. “He must have gotten thrown away from the vehicle.”

The boy was not wearing a helmet. “That’s important for everybody, wearing a helmet while riding a bike.”